With Saturday's game against Millwall postponed for Bristol City, the international break is fast approaching.

But, despite the mammoth gap in the Robins calendar, with City not playing again until March 30, it promises to be an exciting time in the West Country as Ashton Gate hosts England Under-21s Poland U21s in exactly a week.

Young Lions boss Aidy Boothroyd names his squad later on Thursday and we're expecting some Robins involvement.

So with the match approaching, and Jay Dasilva and Lloyd Kelly having been included in recent squads, plus Kasey Palmer winning six caps at that level, we thought it was a good time to speak with the former Bristol Rovers defender who visited City's Failand training ground recently and spoke with head coach Lee Johnson ahead of next week's match.

"I speak to all the managers and just recently we had a visit to the training ground and spent a day with Lee and his team. The setup down there is good and it's going to get better with all the building that's going to happen.

"It's exciting times and part of my role is to make sure that I liaise with the managers and just keep an eye on things, keep an eye on their players and really just work together to help develop them."

Both Jay Dasilva and Lloyd Kelly have played for Boothroyd and we asked the former Watford manager how highly he rates the two Robins left-backs.

"I rate them both very highly. I know that Bristol City have got two very good professionals and two very good people, first and foremost, but they're also both very talented," he added.

Gaetano Castrovilli of Italy U21 competes for the ball with Lloyd Kelly

"I think one will end up as a centre-half and the other will end up as a left-back.

"They seem to be sharing the load at the minute down the left-hand side. Both players have become key members of our squad really.

"It's nice for them that they can get to play some international football and, at the same time they're playing, although Lloydy is out [of the side; recorded prior to the Ipswich Town game] at the moment, Jay is playing quite a considerable amount of games," he explained of the pair.

Boothroyd elaborated on how he will use the upcoming friendly match at Ashton Gate.

"We've come a long way with this particular group but we've not answered all the questions that I've wanted to and of course at this stage of the season it's a really critical time for a lot of the clubs," said the 48-year-old former defender.

"We'll find a way to make sure we get our ducks in a row for the summer while also respecting the clubs and their run-ins."

Boothroyd knows the South West from a spell at Bristol Rovers but his former connections don't stop him appreciating Bristol City's redeveloped stadium.

"It looks brilliant now to compared to what it was. It's a fabulous stadium and it's great to see Bristol City competing at the top of the table."

Tammy Abraham is another player who could be named on Thursday and the Chelsea loanee - with 23 caps at this level - is still fondly remembered down this way.

Of course, Johnson has played a pivotal role in helping Abraham develop along the way with the striker scoring 26 goals in 48 games in all competitions while on loan in 2016/17.

"It's really good for us that people like Tammy are playing regularly because that's what we want, we want them to be playing regular football," said Boothroyd.

"The EFL provides players the opportunity to play real games and gain some experience in men's football on top of all their European experience.

"It just puts the final bit on them really and Tammy's a good example of somebody who has played a number of games and he's proved that he can do it at a much higher level."

So how about Johnson then: just how much of a help is a head coach who give young players a chance to play?

Jay DaSilva of England U21 looks on

"He's making his own job easier to be honest, picking those players. It's a real coup to develop and to have them in the system," said Boothroyd.

"We're delighted to accept the help from any manager but at the end of it, all managers are in precarious positions and they want to play the players that they can so it's great that he feels he can trust Lloyd and Jay and it's the same for the other managers as well.

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As for a return to Bristol, it's the chance to reminisce on his time at the Gas, playing under Gerry Francis in the old Second Division (now the Championship) from 1990-92.

"I didn't play as many games as I would have liked as the team was doing really well at the time with some really good players but I do remember a few Bristol derbies very fondly," says Boothroyd, who made 16 league appearances for the club and still keeps an eye out for Rovers' results.

"And overall it was a really enjoyable stay in the city. I lived in Keynsham and Brislington and had three years there."